Eighty people have been killed in Benue State since December 31 following clashes between cattle herders and farmers, said an emergency official Tuesday.

“80 is the number we can say for now, the attacks have not stopped,” Benue State Emergency Management Agency executive secretary Emmanuel Shior told AFP.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari, has ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to immediately relocate to Benue State to prevent further loss of lives and forestall the crisis in the state from escalating and spreading.

The President gave the order last night, a statement by the force spokesman, Jimoh Moshood stated.

In compliance with the directive, Moshood said that the IG would be moving to Benue state with five units of riot policemen making a total of 10 units deployed in the state, in addition to other police contingents and special forces on the ground.

“More units of Police Special Forces, Counter-Terrorism Units, and conventional policemen are already being deployed to the state in compliance with the Presidential order,” the statement explained.